Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll claims he has no axe to grind with Keven Mealamu in the forthcoming Test series against New Zealand.
The last time O’Driscoll toured the country – as captain of last year’s British & Irish Lions party – he lasted only one minute of the first Test before picking up a dislocated shoulder after a tackle from Mealamu and Tana Umaga.
The Munster centre did not play again in 2005 after that tackle, which saw the hooker and ex-All Black captain cited.
The furore over the tackle dominated the Lions tour, which ended in a 3-0 series win to the hosts, but O’Driscoll insists it has all been forgotten.
"Of course it was a difficult moment in my life and in my career but I’m a big believer in time healing all wounds," O’Driscoll said.
"As soon as I started playing again I just got on with the rest of my life and signed it off to a chapter in my life that probably wasn’t the most positive, but you’re going to get them.
"There’s no ill feeling, it’s just one of these things that happened.
"Tana’s not a dirty player and likewise Keven, so you just accept them for what they say and get on with it."
